URC Returns With Coastal Derby and Irish Challenge

The first local derby of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship season is on the cards when the competition returns this weekend, while the two Gauteng sides are in for tough matches in Ireland.

After a month-long break for the November international window, the Vodacom URC is back, with a mouthwatering coastal derby between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and DHL Stormers in Durban kicking off proceedings on Saturday afternoon.

Later on Saturday, the Vodacom Bulls (currently third on the log) and the Emirates Lions (fourth) will be looking to build on their strong starts to the competition when they face Connacht and Munster respectively in Ireland.

In Durban, the hosts will be trying to put to bed an unwanted record against their visitors from the Western Cape. Both these sides will also be keen to make a move on the log as they are currently outside the top eight, after less than perfect starts to the season.

Although the margins in the last three games between the two coastal sides were close, the DHL Stormers have never lost against the Hollywoodbets Sharks, winning five on the trot after their first Vodacom URC derby back in January 2022 ended in a draw.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks will take some momentum into the game, as their only loss in their last four matches was against Benetton in Treviso in the fourth round, while they have also won won both of their home games in Durban this season.

But they are up against a team that have almost perfected winning their SA derbies – the DHL Stormers have lost just once in local Vodacom URC since December 2021, which was by 22-40 to the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria in March.

The team from Pretoria, bolstered by the inclusion of a host of Springboks from the November internationals, have a tricky outing on Saturday against Connacht in Galway, where the Irish province won their most recent match at Dexcom Stadium by a comfortable 31-7 over the Dragons, but they have not managed successive wins at home since March.

South African teams have generally struggled in Galway, where Connacht’s home record against visitors from the Republic in the Vodacom URC is 10 wins from 12 matches.

But the Vodacom Bulls have started the season well and have only lost once so far this campaign, by a point to the Scarlets in the fifth round, and they will be keen to break their duck in Galway.

Roughly 100km to the south, the Emirates Lions have a tough match against Munster in Limerick, where the Irish giants will be looking to avoid a fourth successive defeat for the first time since the 2003/04 season.

Munster have never lost a home game to a South African opponent in the Vodacom URC, but the team from Gauteng are on a roll this season, having lost only once so far, against Leinster in Dublin in their last clash before the international break.

Match information:

Hollywoodbets Sharks v DHL Stormers

Date: Saturday, 30 November

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban

SA Time: 17h00

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen

TV: SuperSport

Connacht v Vodacom Bulls

Date: Saturday, 30 November

Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway

SA Time: 19h30

Referee: Mike Adamson

TV: SuperSport

Munster v Emirates Lions

Date: Saturday, 30 November

Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick

SA Time: 21h35

Referee: Adam Jones

TV: SuperSport